Melbourne City set to take it up to Sky Blues

by jspasaro

Josh Spasaro
Sports Journalist

I spent four years in country newspapers before taking on a dream role of covering national and international sports news across the entire APN network, in early 2012.
I learnt my trade in Kingaroy, Queanbeyan and Lismore doing it all – design, photography and headline writing.
I am now the envy of all my friends and family members, now that I have the privilege of covering Origin, Bledisloe Cups, footy grand finals and other top international sporting events.
Yes, I wouldn’t trade this job for...

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Ivan Franjic of Melbourne City poses during the Melbourne City FC A-League team photo session at City Football Academy on September 22, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)Robert Cianflone

Melbourne City will back its chances against last season's grand finalist Sydney FC when the teams open their A-League campaigns in Sydney tonight.

The Sky Blues have lost attacking threats Bernie Ibini (Club Brugge in Belgium) and Marc Janko (FC Basel in Switzerland).

Meanwhile City - which lost 3-0 to eventual champions the Victory in the semi-finals - has picked up Socceroos representatives Ivan Franjic and Michael Zullo.

The visitors also signed goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, a veteran of more than 350 matches in the English top flight.

The 39-year-old Danish shot-stopper kept 107 clean sheets in the English Premier League - one of only 14 goalkeepers to keep 100-plus in the competition.

He won't have to deal with Janko, who scored 16 goals for Sydney FC in the A-League last season. The Austrian was the competition's top goal scorer, netting 29% of the Sky Blues' goals in 2014-15.
Sydney FC will be hoping midfielder Filip Holosko can give the team some attacking spark this summer.

The 31-year-old has been capped 65 times for Slovakia, and spent eight years at Turkish giants Besiktas, scoring 42 goals in 144 games.

In tonight's other game, the Perth Glory will also take confidence into its clash against the Mariners at Central Coast Stadium.

The Glory has won three and drawn one of its past four A-League games against the Central Coast.

But at home the Mariners have lost just one of their previous 16 A-League games against Perth (won 12, drawn three, lost one).